WEBVTT EXPLAINS.LATONYA:, SATURDAY MORNING, NEWORLEANS FIREFIGHTERS WENT TODOOR TO DOOR CANVASSING THENEIGHBORHOOD, EQUIPPINGHOUSEHOLDS LIKE CHARLES' WITHSMOKE ALARMS.TO SAVE A HOUSE AND FAMILY.THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ISCOMMITTED TO ENSURING EVERY HOMEHAS WORKING SMOKE ALARMS.LATONYA: IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR,THE NEIGHBORHOOD MOURNED THELOSS OF A FAMILY OF FIVE WHO ALLDIED IN A HOUSE FIRE.SINCE THAT TIME, NINE PEOPLEHAVE DIED IN FIRES.A SUPERINTENDENT SAYS NONE OFTHE HOMES HAD WORKING SMOKEALARMS.A WORKING SMOKE ALARM IS THECHEAPEST INSURANCE THAT YOU WILLEVER HAVE.IT GUARANTEES THAT PEOPLE GETOUT THE HOUSE.I HAVE 32 YEARS IN THE FIRESERVICE.I HAVE NEVER HAD A FATALITY INAN ACCIDENTAL FIRE WHERE THEREWAS A WORKING SMOKE ALARM.LATONYA: MCCONNELL SAID SMOKEDETECTORS TRULY SAVE LIVES ANDNOT JUST THE LIVES OF CITIZENSBUT FIREFIGHTERS AS WELL.THE GOAL IS TO HAVE ZERO FIRERELATED DEATHS.WE GO OUT EVERY DAY ANDTODAY'S LIKE THIS, WE CANVASEVERY SINGLE ADDRESS AND THECITY OF NEW ORLEANS WAS THE GOALWITHIN THIS YEAR, WE WILL HAVEADDRESSED EVERY HOME AND GOT AWORKING SMOKE ALARM IN EVERYRESIDENTS.LATONYA: THE FIREDEPARTMENT ISTAKING ON IN THE NAME OF SAVINGLIVES.

The air conditioning unit at the Riverwalk Outlet Mall is to blame for smoke that was reported early Friday as a possible fire, officials said.

New Orleans fire officials said the fire was reported after 6 a.m. at the mall on the Mississippi Riverfront.

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The first group of firefighters found smoke in the food court area. Officials said the smoke came from the mall's HVAC system.

The New Orleans Fire Department said another group of firefighters was notified about an alarm that had gone off near the mall's Spanish Plaza. Firefighters determined that the two incidents were related.

Investigators said firefighters determined that the source of the smoke was the air conditioning unit for the food court.